Today we’d like to introduce you to Kris Hargrove.
Hi Kris, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Sure! My organizing journey began in the fall of 2020, deep in the middle of the pandemic and the need to control what I could – my home. I felt a great sense of joy and peace each time I created an organizing system in different areas of my home. I would wake up at 6 a.m., go straight to organizing for two hours, and then sit down at my desk to clock in at 8 a.m. for my full-time job. The moment I clocked out, I was back to organizing my house. I had connected with a strength I knew I had, but on a different level.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Not a smooth road at all. In fact, quite a rocky road. In early 2021, I took a leap of faith and founded Organized by Kris while still working my full-time job. It was a great first year, and I was excited to see where 2022 would take me. However, life had different plans. In December 2021, I went to the ER and learned I not only had pneumonia but that my upper left lung had collapsed due to a mass. I was rushed to the hospital.
The next three months continued to challenge me in ways I didn’t know were possible. Our oldest son presented with significant mental health struggles during this time, and we also learned he struggled with addiction. I had a biopsy on the mass in my lung and was diagnosed with a carcinoid tumor. On the day of my biopsy, we admitted our son to rehab for the first time; little did we know it would not be the last. Next up, I had my upper left lung removed along with the tumor, all while continuing to work full-time and work with organizing clients up until my surgery. The surgery left me unable to organize for two months as the recovery was quite challenging.
I had already started bringing on team members to assist with bigger jobs. However, after my surgery, I knew I didn’t want to be a solo organizing company and was so grateful for the extra assistance. Especially since I wasn’t sure where this roller coaster ride was going to take me or end.
December of 2022, I retired from my career of 23 years and went full time in my business. By the grace of God, life has only gotten better. My health is great and my son has been sober for 21 months and he’s thriving.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
The Organized by Kris Team is known for their compassion, tenacity, and creativity. When creating organizing systems for our clients, we pride ourselves on systems that are easy to reset when life gets crazy. I know first hand how crazy life can get and how easy resetting our systems are. We love all aspects of organizing, whether it’s decluttering, setting up organizing systems, packing, or helping a client quickly get unpacked and settled in their new home. The end result is that we remove a lot of stress and overwhelm from our clients’ lives, and that gives us purpose.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://organizedbykris.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/organizedbykris
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/organizedbykris
Image Credits
Profile picture of Kris was taken by Joi Conti Photography
